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Finding the Celtic Soul with Jay Baruchel

Alum Aaron Hancox’s new documentary connects Hollywood star with his Irish roots
November 24, 2016
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By Richard Burnett


There is plenty of buzz surrounding Celtic Soul, the new film from award-winning producer and filmmaker Aaron Hancox, BA (comm. studies) 07.

Celtic Soul follows Hancox’s old buddy, Hollywood star and fellow Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (N.D.G.) neighbourhood homeboy Jay Baruchel, on an epic road trip through Canada, Ireland and Scotland with Baruchel’s new friend, renowned Irish soccer journalist Eoin O’Callaghan.

Aaron Hancox Montreal-raised filmmaker Aaron Hancox says he misses his days in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. | Photo courtesy Aaron Hancox

Yet when people meet Hancox they are curious about his very first film, Cinema L’Amour, about the famous Montreal porn theatre of the same name. That film won Best Short Documentary at the 2007 Montreal World Film Festival (MWFF).

“The first time I walked into Cinema L’Amour I was a 20-year-old Concordia student, and I had no idea this theatre was an architectural gem,” says Hancox. “I had heard the legend of magician Harry Houdini being fatally punched there — which wasn’t true — but it is an odd place that serves a special niche.”

The film helped propel his career. “It is a film people still ask me about. I think people will go see a film about a porn theatre even if it’s a bad film, to be honest. So I don’t know how much credit I can take for making a good film!” Hancox says.

“But to have my film win at the MWFF was amazing, especially for it do so well as a student film. I was proud of the film, it got a lot of attention, and several years later it was actually screened in Cinema L’Amour during Nuit Blanche in front of a packed house, which was the greatest accomplishment! It was full circle for me.”

Jay Baruchel Jay Baruchel goes on road trip to Ireland and Scotland in Celtic Soul. | Photo courtesy Markham Street Films

After working as a television editor and director of photography, Hancox joined the Toronto-based Markham Street Films as their director of Sales and Development in 2010. Today he is the company’s vice-president, Unscripted, and produced their 2014 feature doc David & Me about the wrongful murder conviction of David McCallum, a film that helped exonerate McCallum after 29 years in prison.

“I want to be humble about this because I was one of many people who helped free David McCallum. I was one small part in getting this film made,” says Hancox.

“David was the biggest part, his resilience, his hope and belief in his innocence. It was the best moment of my career, and may be the best moment of my life, being there the day David walked out of jail.”

Fortunate friendship

Hancox’s new film, Celtic Soul, came to him unsolicited.

“Jay and I are actually old high school friends from N.D.G. We went to FACE school together in the ’90s, were in a band and had this great friendship,” Hancox explains.

“We hadn’t been in touch for a few years and, believe it or not, that relationship had nothing to do with the genesis of this film. It was just a great coincidence that the film was brought to us by a mutual friend, Eoin O’Callaghan, who said they had cooked up this idea for a documentary,” he says.

“As it turned, I was an old friend of Jay’s — that was a really nice bonus. The film is very rock and roll: It is able to walk this fine line between fart jokes and a really heartfelt story about friendship, immigration and the Irish plight, and how sport can be a force for good.”

Celtic Soul premieres at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto on November 25, 2016, with Baruchel and O’Callaghan in attendance.

Now based in Toronto, Hancox recalls growing up in N.D.G. “I miss Chalet Bar-B-Q, Spurs country bar, Supermarché Akhavan and the Rose Bowl, and I miss Honey Martin, where I used to play with my former band The Future Ex-Wives every Thursday night,” says Hancox.

“Much like Jay, I like to say that I’m from N.D.G. before I say Montreal.”

Hancox adds that his time at Concordia was vital in shaping his career. “Concordia was crucial and informative,” he says.

“Quite simply, I learned how to make films at Concordia, and to make media responsibly. I realize I truly have the privilege and position to tell important stories.”

Watch the trailer for Celtic Soul:

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